House of Gold
by toddleston
Summary: After Tom gets into a fatal car crash, one of the most stressful and emotional moments of his life arises and suddenly he is visited by multiple people... Specifically characters. Characters he has played. They all emerge in his flat and that's where the adventure begins. Featuring: Magnus Martinsson, Bill Hazledine, Freddie Page, Captain Nicholls, Adam, Prince Hal, and Loki.
1. Chapter 1

All Tom could remember was the crushing. The impact of the other metal vehicle crashing into his own. There were no screams or movie-inspired, high pitch tones reverberating throughout his mind- no. Only the darkness before pain brought him back to reality.

"Hello? Stay with me," A nurse beckoned Tom.

"N- No. T- t- too much-" Tom tried but he just screamed through a scratched and ragged throat. The lights passed by as if they were strobe- but they were just LED passing overhead... Or was he passing underneath? It felt like a million knives were driving through him.

"I am so sorry," The nurse reassured him. His body shifted slightly in the gurney, "The pain will be subdued in time. We need to get you into surgery."

And all faded to black.

_Water _was the first thought Tom had when he roused from a sleep. The light hit his lids too hard and the headache was intensified.

"Christ- you're alright," A familiar voice yawned from beside him.

"I'm me... Of course I'm alright," Tom smiled, before opening one eye to see his sister, Emma, sitting right beside him.

"Mum and Dad are waiting outside. Separate, of course but... both are still here. D'you want me to send them in?" Emma asked, holding onto her brother's cold hands.

"Just... give me a moment. I've only woken up. Send them in soon though. I wouldn't want to keep them worrying," Tom muttered, attempting to lean forward before pain shot through his body.

"Don't," His sister warned, before letting go of his hand and grabbing for a remote that dangled off the side of his bed. She pressed the up button and the head side of the bed moved forward, lifting the patient along with it.

"Thanks," Tom smiled after the bed was completely upright.

"Of course," Emma shrugged, before leaning forward to kiss his forehead, "Never get in an accident like that ever again. You nearly gave me a heartache. Probably gave Mum one... God knows you gave your _fangirls_ heart attacks. Definitely over one million of them are devastated."

"Oh, please," Tom rolled his eyes.

"No, really. You don't believe me? Luke and Hodell are absolutely _swamped_ with fan mail and e-mails and gifts and flowers and chocolates- _all_ for you. You chip a fingernail and already hundreds of fans are on the next flight to London so they can clip it off for you," Emma ranted before Tom waved his hand.

"I never asked for this much attention."

"But it's good, isn't it?" Emma smiled, before Tom nodded, ruefully.

"Attention is always nice to have," He shrugged before sighing, "It would be nice to just disappear for a while, though. Especially now that I'm-"

"Injured?"

"Yes. That," Tom sighed before realizing something, "Oh.. I won't be able to run as regularly."

"You are unbelievable," Emma laughed and rolled her eyes, "I'll get mum and dad now. Prepare for the onslaught of kisses, dearest brother."

"I'll certainly try."

"Home sweet home," Tom sighed, collapsing on the couch in his flat and rubbing his eyes. The last few days had been chaotic. Agents on the phone, a fan even snuck into his room- he didn't mind... although it was a bit strange- and the same nurse kept filling his IV with morphine and other drugs.

On some of those visits, they were alone.

"So... What is your name?" He would ask, nearly half asleep as the drugs worked into his system.

"Sleep," She would smile.

"Oh come on. Please? Unless Sleep is your name" He joked, beginning to feel a little lifted.

"Ovidia," She smiled, before starting to leave.

"Ahh... German," Tom mused before falling into a deep sleep. It wasn't until next morning that she returned. He faced her a little more towards the front, "So... German. Olivia? No..."

"Ovidia," The nurse smiled a little before checking his vitals.

"Will... any of you tell me what happened any time soon? I know it was a car crash... I just want to know-"

"If anyone else is hurt?"

"Well. Yes. But," Tom sat up a little more, "You used the present tense- Is someone... unwell?"

"In a manner of speaking," Ovidia answered. She looked slightly uncomfortable.

"What do you mean- _in a manner of speaking?_" Tom could see his pulse raise in the monitor.

"Please calm-"

"No, is there anyone I'm responsible for? Please tell me," Tom could feel himself slipping out of consciousness and belief. No one, please. Oh God...

Tom took a deep breath and shook his head. _Forget it, Thomas._ He took his head in his hands and curled onto his couch, trying to focus.

Bill's legs pumped mercilessly on his pedals, straining the bike... Do bikes even strain? It's not like their human. Or natural. They're only a byproduct of manufactured goods composed of different alloys melted down by humans used for consumer purchase and selling-

Ah... The Church. It was nearing the time. He looked down at his watch then up at the top of the church.

Oh God. Jewel-

"Jewel!" Bill yelled, dashing through the church doors. The pews and the hanging lights were too calm and straight. They should be as chaotic as him. The love of his life was about to throw away her life.

"Just because I went to college..." Bill sighed before sprinting between the pews and climbing the stone stairs. There was only a door holding him back from his Jewel. The tarnished doorknob was cold against his sweaty grasp and he wrenched it open, falling onto...

Magnus stumbled away from the scene of the crime. No- it wasn't a crime. This was justice. A murderer was now lying dead. A murderer who was about to kill his boss. A transgender murderer who-

"But I-" Magnus took a staggered breath and wiped his brow with his dominant brow. The heat from the barrel of the gun radiating onto his sweating forehead. Magnus forced down a scream and took a deeper breath.

He'd never killed a person before. A living, breathing person. _Murderer. A murderer. Murder murder murdermurdermureremreudmurdereremurder_

"Stop it- Stop it," Magnus brought his hands up to his temples. He would get over it. This was just.. shock. That's what it was. He needed water. Something to splash him back to reality. Something to calm.

He searched for a bathroom, fumbling for the handle. Once he wrenched it open- he didn't use his trained skills to observe the surroundings. Too neat and too... unlike the owner of the house he was just in...

_Hester... My Hester- how could she-? _Freddie stormed down the streets of London.

"After all we... Making me feel..." Freddie mumbled to himself, before stopping to think. But he couldn't think straight. There were no coherent thoughts bubbling up. Everything was cut off. Nothing could finish. Nothing could be complete or concrete.

"Just like people," Freddie spat, scaring a few of the locals who were just chatting to themselves quietly. They took one look at him before making their own way- away from him.

He couldn't stay out here. He needed a drink. Some place to drown his thoughts and the quiet, peaceful world in general. The pub was the place to be. Any pub.

Freddie shoved his hands into his pockets, feeling the suicide note against his fingertips he wrenched his hands out as if they were burned. He pushed through the doors to the pub, and it took him two seconds too long to realize that there was no dull roar at all. Not much sound... Unless you counted the sudden shattering of glass...

"I hate it... I absolutely hate it," Adam cried into Eve's shoulder.

"Sweetheart, shh..." She stroked his hair with her clean fingertips, "Just... Take your time. Gather yourself before we have to..."

"Hide the body," Adam sighed, coming back to reality. This was who he was now. He just.. never really got used to the killing. Feeding on live blood was absolutely fantastic, but he found a high through rare blood types now. Not lives.

"Go. Wash yourself or... Become yourself again. I'll do the same and wait," Eve suggested calmly, "It's not like we're on a tight schedule."

Adam laughed bitterly at the joke about their immortality. He stood up and began walking towards the victim's kitchen. It was so nice. Neat. Orderly. Never to be used again. Unless their family had a use for cheap kitchen utensils and a lingering smell of rosemary.

Adam turned on the faucet and leaned in towards the running water so he could wash his hands of all the sins he committed. He closed his eyes to let the running water, not noticing the water suddenly become a bit more forceful and the porcelain sink turn into a clean, chrome metal...

His cheek still stung from the blow. His own father had struck him, for God's sake. Hal had stormed out out of his father's presence to... What? Prove a point?

He would become the scholar he was expected to become. Someone worthy of being king. His father doubted him now-

"Oh, but the sun must rise just as a tiger must strike when the prey is most vulnerable," Hal chuckled to himself, driving himself towards his chambers.

"No... The sun is brilliant yet the tiger is vicious," Hal paused a moment, "Just the sun. The sun and son. The sun will rise just when darkness seems to overcome. O' they may doubt me now- but soon the brilliance of the rays of my gloriousness will raise the buds and seeds of the seemingly dead crops and I will sow my kingdom for generations to come. England raised to her height."

_Prove the doubters false,_ Hal thought to himself as he smiled and opened the doors to his bedroom. Although- it wasn't his bedroom, was it? Where on God's earth...

_German guns, _Nicholls thought to himself. So they were not lying. Guns with round barrels and firing so fast.

Pointed right towards him.

Where was his love when he needed her.

His Grace.

_Oh, Grace, please forgive me, _Nicholls thought as the merciless German face and his relentlessly shooting gun found it's next target.

Captain James Nicholls of England.

Enemy to Germany.

He had successfully stared down the long barrel of the machine gun for a few seconds. But as he saw the German recoil, he put up his arms instinctively. It would not help him and Joey- but what else was there to do?

He felt as if a sheet was shattering all around him.

Is this what death felt like...

Mother was dea- No, Loki. _Frigga. _She was never your mother. She never was... And those were his last words to her.

_You're not._

He let out another anguished scream kicked the books off his table, before shoving everything to the floor. Nothing should be held high right now. Not when the only good thing left in these Realms was gone. He thought he could handle the first loss, but now the woman who raised him...

"Where were you, Thor? Odin?" Loki screamed in vain, running into the protective, gold wall keeping him from civilization. He pounded his fists against the magic and screamed until his throat felt sore.

"Where were you?!" Loki cried, letting tears pour down and sliding down along the golden walls. He slid all the way down to the floor.

No.

Through the floor.

Through the floor?

Was something shattering?

Everything happened to Tom all at once, it was rather confusing. A gangly, curly blonde-haired boy stumbled out of his closet while his only two sinks turned on at the same time. Meanwhile, his door opened- a man in a tweed jacket who looked like he wanted to avoid the world walked in with purpose. Tom turned around just in time to see an overly confident young man in a red jacket.

If that wasn't confusing enough- something barreled through his window in a tan uniform just as a dark, green, and pale form fell from the ceiling right on top of his coffee table. The window assailant just landed on the floor with a grunt.

"What.. the.." Tom started, his face turning pale and clammy. Just as the madness stopped just as soon as it started, the sinks stopped and the other two walked in- obviously confused but wanting to see what was making the noise.

Faces from Tom's past surrounded him either standing very confused, catching their breath, or busy recovering on the floor while Tom sat solitary on his couch. There were no words to describe what he was feeling- staring at the very flesh and bone of Bill Hazledine, Magnus Martinsson, Freddie Page, Adam, Prince Hal, Captain Nicholls, and Loki.


	2. Chapter 2

Surprisingly, Tom was not the first one to scream. That would've been Bill. He ran in the direction he came and wrenched the door open, attempting to fling himself back into the closet.

"Jewel! Jewel!" He screamed into the closet, turning over the odds and ends and hangers in order to find a passage back as if it had suddenly become Narnia.

"Careful Bill, please," Tom beckoned immediately. He knew all of his characters by heart. Which was why it was strange to seem them all standing there.

"How do you know my name?" The younger, soap opera era Tom asked him, turning around- still panting.

"Yes.. How do you know his name?" Magnus asked, remaining one of the most calm people there, "If this is some hostage situation gone wrong-"

"What, with everyone looking nearly completely identical? Except for maybe the two long, dark-haired twins," Freddie scoffed before shaking his head, "I haven't even had a drink yet."

"Is this... Is this the afterlife?" Nicholls asked, still on the floor. He seemed really shaken.

"Jewel!"

"Well then I definitely should not be here," Adam scoffed, leaning against the wall, "I've seen some strange things but this-"

"This could come in... maybe second," Loki groaned, dusting himself of the coffee table remains, "Hurt much more when Banner took a swing at me-"

"Okay, everyone. Time out-" Tom started but was interrupted by an outburst from Bill.

"Will someone cease that incessant child's outbursts?" Hal asked, looking at the closet.

"Bill- please!" Tom yelled, quieting the whole room down. Bill stood up, warily, while everyone in the room looked at him. He stood up from the couch and looked around, "It seems... That I am the only person in the room who knows exactly who each and every one of you are."

"Yes- Why is that?" Magnus asked.

"Um.. Well- you probably won't believe me," Tom started before most of the company scoffed, "Oh my God... Am I going crazy? This is all in my head, isn't it?"

"Probably not. Your window's almost completely smashed through by General Dazed and Confused over here," Adam shrugged.

"I am not a General- I am only a Captain," James got up, seeming to find his feet again, although he didn't really look quite there. In the moment, that is.

"Then how are all of you real? In my flat," Tom asked, looking around. Loki and Nicholls had finally risen, Loki's eyes looked raw as if they were red and strained. His foot was bleeding and his hair was not greased, his regular clothes were stripped and he looked as if Frigga had just-

"I am so sorry," Tom looked at Loki, tears welling up in his own eyes.

"For what?" Loki looked on guard while everyone turned to look at him. He looked... quite murderous.

"Okay, okay- everyone," Tom raised his voice for everyone's attention to focus back on him, "Um... Okay. It seems as if I'm the only one who knows each and every one of you. So you have to trust me-"

"Trust you?" Freddie asked, his hands sliding into his coat pockets.

"How do we even know we _should _trust you?" Magnus asked, his hand wrapped around a gun.

"Magnus, before we do anything rash- let's think for a moment," Tom looked at the gun and back up at Magnus.

"What on Earth is that silly contraption?" Hal wrinkled his eyebrows, looking at the gun as if it were a foreign object. Which was... understandable.

"I am an actor," Tom replied, wringing his hands, "And... Dear God- I have played every single one of you on screen. For television and film-"

"Actors deal only with the stage," Hal scoffed, "And for treacherous deceit."

"Yeah, deceit," Bill attempted toughness, but the whole company just raised that familiar right eyebrow, "I'll just... I'll be here." He shrunk back and looked around as if he was searching for something.

"So... Explain yourself," Adam looked bored, but something behind the eyes suggested he was intrigued.

"Fine. I will make sure you all trust me," Tom said, using his specialty of acting to mask the overwhelming fear of lunacy he was feeling.

"You-" Tom pointed at Bill who looked filled with anxiety. Tom was never a fan of pointing so he ceased and just looked straight at him, "You are Bill Hazledine. Your girlfriend is Jewel and you are really into the environment. You returned from a trip to Africa and... How far are you, exactly? Like... Where in time- what was the last thing that happened to you. I'm not sure if I'm exactly spoiler-free."

"What in the Nine Real-"

"I don't know- I just have a hunch," Tom's eyes flicked over to Nicholls before returning to Bill.

"J- Jewel just called. She's about to kill herself if I don't get to her- Please let me go!" Bill pleaded, getting on his knees. A few of the others groaned and shook their heads at Bill's overdramatic nature.

"Okay- Bill. She'll be fine. Trust me," Tom looked over at him. He knew that show inside and out. How Jewel was faking suicide so Bill would be forced to marry her. Not that he would be exactly _forced, _but it still wasn't a direct decision.

"Alright... Who's next... Let's just keep going with television- Magnus," Tom looked over at his curly-haired self. Honestly, he looked more like Tom then Tom did at the moment with Tom's natural hair and physique. Tom had the chestnut hair and a much too thin frame from the time off due to the accident, "You work for a man named Kurt Wallander. You're a detective in Sweden and... Remind me, what just happened to you? Before you ended up here."

"I just shot the tranny. A murderer. About to kill Kurt," Magnus's jaw locked and his grip around the gun tightened.

"Okay- let's not call people trannies, alright?" Tom's eyes flicked down towards the gun and he licked his lips before looking over at Hal, "Why don't we just finish television- Henry Plantagenet."

"Television?" Hal asked.

"Glad we're on the same page," Tom replied before going on, "Your father is King Henry the fourth, you are next in line to the throne-"

"Oh, come on. Everyone knows him- that's basic history," Magnus rolled his eyes.

"Not me," Loki confessed.

"Where are you from- Space?" Freddie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"More or less," Loki sneered, his eyes turning dark.

"Okay!" Tom said, nervously, making all of him turn to look at... well, him. This was too strange for words, "How about... little things. Small things. You are friends with thieves and liars and cheats-"

"-I bet you and him will hit it off," Adam laughed, causing Magnus and Freddie to nod in agreement. James Nicholls nodded too, but he seemed off in another world.

"Let me finish," Tom sighed before continuing, "And everyone in the kingdom thinks you will be a drunk when you become king- but those aren't your plans. You plan to shed that skin and become another, better man. Then the kingdom will be so much more impressed and you might leave a greater impression among the people and history. You want to be a good man first, so then you can know how to be a better king."

Hal opened his mouth, but closed it again. He was speechless.

"How do I know? Because I know you. I've lived in your head," Tom nodded, feeling a lot better and... on fire, in a sense. Like he was getting the hang of the situation, "Now. On to film."

"Film?" Hal asked.

"I'll.. I'll explain," Tom waved a hand towards him before turning towards Freddie, "Freddie. Freddie Page."

"Yes, sir," Freddie replied sarcastically, sizing himself up.

"You had an affair with a judge's wife- Hester. And... If I'm right about how this works: you just found her suicide note in her bath robe," Tom raised an eyebrow and Freddie looked like he was just struck. Slowly, Freddie took the note out of his pocket with a shaking hand. Suddenly, everyone in the room was quiet. There was not much doubt now.

"Alright... Adam," Tom looked at the vampire, "You're a vampire and you're married to Eve. You are really into music-"

"A vampire?" Bill asked, turning absolute pale.

"Don't worry. I'm well fed at the moment," Adam sighed as the others, except Loki, looked at him a little more warily.

"Sorry, mate," Tom said, before forcing himself to look at James, "Captain James Nicholls. World War I-"

"Regards," Freddie nodded in Nicholls' direction.

"- and you bought a fine horse by the name of Joey from a young farm boy, Albert," Tom said, avoiding James' eyes, "And... Uh.. If I'm right, you were just now looking down the barrel of a German machine gun."

Everyone who understood became very still and Nicholls' nodded stiffly, his jaw as stiff as a rock.

"Um.." Tom swallowed before turning towards Loki, "And Loki. Loki, adopted son of Odin and your brother is Thor. You attempted to subjugate Earth but you were thrown into a cell. And, uh.. by the way your foot is bleeding. Frigga has... died."

"Quite right," Loki laughed bitterly, walking towards the couch and making it his domain, "My father is not my father, my brother is the one who gets everything he's ever wanted, and the woman who raised me was killed because of they couldn't protect her. Lovely family."

Everyone was quiet and Tom sighed, "That should be everybody."

"What about you?" Nicholls asked, his eyes showing strain- as if they were trying to hide everything the man was feeling.

"Oh.. Well.. My name is Tom. Tom Hiddleston. I am an actor and- as I've said before, I have portrayed each and every one of you. Which is why.. well, you look like me."

"Okay... But how have you _portrayed_ us," Magnus asked, stuffing his gun into the back of his jeans, "We are real. Are you saying that we're just stories?"

"No, of course not," Tom shook his head before rubbing his stubble on his jaw, "Maybe... for some reason- you have all emerged into this reality. This reality where you are only characters on the screen."

"So, people have watched our lives like they were recorded and copied for everyone to just see?" Freddie asked, looking stressed.

"Well, yes. Because they were recorded. With actors and people pretending to be you," Tom replied.

"Then why do we all resemble you?" Hal asked.

"I have no idea, I am just an actor with a dual degree in the Classics," Tom sighed, starting to pace. He rarely ever paced.

"The question is- Why are we here? I was about to die when I was flung through this man's window," Nicholls seemed to pull himself together.

"That's what I have the hunch about," Tom looked at everyone. Loki seemed bored, picking at Tom's couch, "Bill is frantic about Jewel, Magnus just killed someone, Freddie found a suicide note from his lover, Hal just... Sorry- what happened to you?"

"The King struck me," Hal brought a hand to his cheek.

"Okay, Shakespeare- save us the dramatization," Adam rolled his eyes.

"Hal was just smacked in the face by his father, Adam... You said you were well fed. You just fed on someone, didn't you?" Tom asked.

"Ah, not a complete imbecile," Adam rolled his eyes before taking a shaky breath, "Yes. I just fed."

"But you've been feeding on blood sacks as often as you can to quench the thirst," Tom nodded, before facing Nicholls and Loki, "James was about to get shot on Joey and Loki's mother died."

"She only raised me-"

"Well that constitutes for a mother, would you not say?" Tom snapped, facing Loki before beginning his pace again. Best not to piss off a demigod. _Never thought I'd think that, _"Everyone here is going through a traumatic or highly emotional event. Or at least, they were in the middle of one. So- I'm guessing that's why everyone just turned up."

"That's not how time works," Freddie interjected.

"I'm not saying that this all has to do with time."

"So... What happened to you?" Bill asked, finally as calm as everyone seemed to be.

"What about me?" asked Tom, who raised his favorite eyebrow.

"Well.. Like you said, everyone here is going through a traumatic event or whatever. What are you going through?" Bill reasoned. Everyone looked a bit surprised and impressed.

"W- Well, it's my flat. Who said I was going through anything?" Tom tried, uncomfortably.

"You would not be exempt from this fate," Hal told him. Everyone murmured in agreement and Tom remembered the car accident. He completely forgot about, due to circumstances.

"Oh... I was just in a car crash."

"I can't believe that's one of your most traumatic life experiences," Magnus groaned.

"And the little girl in the car is in critical condition," Tom added, tersely.

"You crashed-" Magnus tried before he was interrupted.

"No, _I _didn't crash," Tom raised his voice, slightly, "Her father was drunk. Of course he's completely fine."

"So... you're feeling an extreme amount of guilt for something you didn't have any control over because a little girl is in critical condition?" Loki asked.

"That sums it up."

"You have an amazing guilt complex. It's practically brimming," Freddie laughed.

"It's not funny," Tom looked Freddie square in the eye. Not that it was really difficult. They were all the same height. Which was... really strange. Usually there was more variety in a group and not so much... sameness.

"What are we going to do?" Hal asked.

"So-" Loki got up, walking and circling the room with his bleeding foot, "We've got a frantic school boy, an edgy _cop,_ an adulterer, a Prince with a direct line to the throne-" He shot a look at Hal. They weren't going to be friendly any time soon, "- a vampire, a walking dead soldier, a god whose needs are simple but everyone feels a need to feel animosity towards- hello, that's me- and our dearest actor over here..." Loki approached Tom until they were inches away from each other.

"Who knows each and every one of our fates."


	3. Chapter 3

Again, Bill was the first to act.

"What about Jewel? What will happen to her? Will she be alright?" Bill grabbed Tom's collar before he was pulled away by Adam. Loki took a step back from the hustle and bustle before sitting back down on the couch looking amused.

"God, kid, you're fucking clingy," Adam sighed, smacking Bill on the back when he turned pale, "Don't worry- I don't bite freaks."

"You're really not helping, Adam," Tom raised an eyebrow. When Adam leered back at him, Tom recoiled, "But- you know, have at it... him."

"What we need to do," Magnus interrupted, "Is find out who is the most qualified to sort out this sort of situation. I volunteer myself."

"No, no, no- When did we put you in charge?" Freddie asked.

"Well, I _am _the one with the gun. I'm certified in combat, hacking, and I possess multiple skill sets," Martinsson sized up Freddie.

"Fine, if we are comparing resumes," Freddie puffed his chest, "I am a combat pilot of the Royal Air Force of Great Britain. I have survived every single day of my job-"

"I think it's safe to say we all have, mate," Adam laughed.

"- And I know how to get out of a dangerous situation," Freddie concluded, staring Martinsson in the eye.

"That is very nice for both of you, gentlemen. But I am Calvary Captain of the finest army England has ever had. I go toe to toe with danger every second of my life, especially since this blasted war has started," Nicholls intervened.

"W- Weren't you the one who said he was dying when you smashed through Tom's window?" Bill added, quietly, before the whole entire room stared him down. He shrank back and they resumed their conversation.

"He does have a point," Adam shrugged.

"Ah, of course, you forget me," Hal sighed, standing up from the wooden chair behind Tom's desk, "I am the Prince of Wales- and I will be seated on the throne of England when the time arrives. You all seem to be arguing amongst yourselves who serves this Godly land the best- who best to command the situation then the future King?"

Magnus frowned, "Yes, but in _our _times- you're already dead. And the Royal Family of England hasn't had a hand in politics in a very long time. We have turned to democracy and Parliament."

"I think we better ease him into that ideal, Magnus," Tom tried, before seeing Hal devastated.

"Every thing that I have been preparing for is just false pretense?" Hal looked stricken.

"No, no, no," Tom walked over towards him, "It's just... We come from different times. The changing times change a lot of things...?" He meant it as a statement although it came out more as a question.

"Ah... This supernatural occurrence has turned into a political debate- lovely," Adam smiled sarcastically before bringing a hand up to his temples.

"Mate. Have you taken a look at yourself- you're sort of a walking supernatural occurrence," Magnus shrugged. His hand was hovering over his gun. Clearly, he thought he had the upper hand with that by his side.

"If we're talking about who is the most capable then why not consult the person who clearly has the most imagination?" Bill contributed to the room filled with older men.

"Sorry?" Freddie raised an eyebrow.

"It's just.. Youth in situations like this has a certain amount of leverage..." Bill's voice died down when he realized that everyone wasn't taking him seriously.

"Bill just... Wait," Tom tried, awkwardly standing between his doppelgangers.

"The Princely prat in the red has a point though," Loki drawled. Tom jumped a little. Out of everyone in the room- Loki scared him the most. How ironic. The character he had tied himself most to over the years was the character who made him most uncomfortable. The most... uneasy about this whole situation.

"And what point is that, exactly?" Hal asked, turning towards the mad-looking Loki. The two Princes stared each other down. Tom thought it was a bit ironic and a little unsettling. They were the same in so many ways but different in the most crucial area. Both were mischievous and liked a bit of fun. Both had fathers who loved them but became very disappointed at one point in time. Both were superb fighters and very intelligent. But when it came down to how they handled situations- Hal tried to make himself as best as he was capable while Loki tried to make himself better than everyone else.

"Royalty," Loki rose from the couch, again, presenting himself as a dominant speaker although everyone was eye level. If only politics was as simple, "I was the King of Asgard- the most powerful realm in all of the Universe- before I was betrayed by my brother. And now he's going to be given the throne by the man I thought was my father."

"Then you have not been given permission to the throne in the first place," Hal countered.

"If _your highness _would give me a moment," Loki replied, calmly. Calculating, "My biological father was the king of the Jotunns. Adopted by the king of Asgard- I still have a birthright to _a_ throne. Either throne. Two realms against a small nation. Think on that, Prince of Wales."

There was a heavy silence as everyone considered. Except Tom. Tom knew Loki inside and out. He gave him life and every little quirk and developed his backstory. Magnus opened his mouth to speak, his hand drawing towards his weapon.

"I wouldn't do that," Tom spoke, not thinking. Magnus' hand stopped.

"What- you wouldn't if you were me?" Magnus inquired.

"No, I wouldn't because I am you. You are a part of me," Tom answered, before looking around the room at the characters he portrayed over the years, "You are all a part of me."

"You're Dr. Frankenstein and we are your creations," Adam nodded. He was the one who caught on to the whole acting aspect a lot quicker than all of the others. Everyone made a sort-of acknowledgement as if everything came together with that comment. All except Loki and Hal who looked thoroughly confused. Tom thought that would happen.

"Hal, Loki... Dr. Frankenstein created a creature with a series of body parts and electricity and it came to life- anyway, that's not the point," Tom started explaining before waving his hand, "The point is... I know that Magnus thinks he's the best choice because he's got a gun. I know that Freddie thinks he's the best choice because he likes to be in control of every situation. I know that Nicholls thinks he's the best choice because he has war experience and strong moral standards. I know that Bill... Well, Bill just wants to make himself seem very, very impressive around everyone who's older. Adam couldn't care less about the whole situation because he has all the time in the world, literally. I know that Hal thinks he's the best choice because he's tired of being mocked by everyone because they think he's incapable. And... I know that Loki thinks he's the best choice because he's never been given the choice."

"So, you think you're the best out of all of us because you have information on us?" Magnus asked.

"No- I didn't say that. I just think we should put all of our heads together to come up with a solution instead of making someone the leader... Or king," Tom turned his eyes toward Hal and Loki.

"But... How about more of a Prime Minister?" Bill spoke up. Everyone looked at him, but they didn't stop him from talking, "Like- everything is still democratic but if there's a stalemate or something, then they have they final say."

"That's... Actually not a bad idea," Adam shrugged. Everyone took a few moments to bicker before dying down again. They grudgingly agreed and Bill beamed before being shot down by Freddie's glare.

"So..." Nicholls piped up, "I believe it should be the actor- sorry, you're name's... Thomas, right?"

"You can just call me Tom," Tom told him with a small smile. _This is crazy._

"Tom it is, then," Nicholls looked at everyone else, "He knows everything about everyone. This is _his world,_ or reality- however this works- and since he has the most knowledge and doesn't seem power hungry, I think we can rely on an unbiased opinion."

"Oh, for God's sake. He doesn't take any initiative, though," Magnus sighed, before sighing even louder, "Fine. Whatever."

"It doesn't matter," Freddie tried looking like he was blase about the whole thing.

"Sure," Bill squeaked quietly.

"Seems the best choice," Adam nodded.

"But he does not have control-" Hal huffed.

"This isn't a kingship. That was established," Loki sneered, gaining him a nasty look from Hal, "Of course. The wisdom of the mortal- lovely."

"Two immortals and one of them's not a blood-sucking fiend, it's a party," Adam raised his hand as if he was holding a glass up in a toast. "Honestly, immortality for the blokes comes with long, dark hair it seems."

"He's not immortal," Tom corrected Adam, "He can just... live to 5000 years and most likely would not die in combat due to the fact he's biologically enhanced."

"I try to leave the whole immortality concept up in the air to humans," Loki rolled his eyes, before collapsing on the couch again. Although he didn't talk about it, Tom could see his foot was paining him.

"Then why is your foot bleeding?" Bill asked.

"Bill do-" Tom tried before Loki answered.

"I'm in distress. Apparently when mothers are murdered it can turn the best of us a bit masochistic," Loki smiled, his eyes unfeeling as flexed his toes- allowing the blood to run through his toes. And making Bill look a lot more queasy.

"Never thought I'd be Prime Minister for anything," Tom attempted to release any tension but he only got animosity or indifference. Everyone was concerned for themselves.

Now that everyone was completely quiet, the busy London street filled Tom's flat with noise and he groaned. It was night, he had seven guests to account for and his window was broken from Nicholl's grand entrance.

"First order of business- could we please clean up my flat? Then we could figure out sleeping arrangements. I think we're all a bit exhausted," Tom said, gesturing towards the broken glass on the ground and the fragments of his former coffee table.

"I will clean up the glass. I apologize for that," Nicholls bent down and carefully scooped handfuls of the shattered window up.

"I'll get a dustpan... Then we'll just put the coffee table to the side... Or rather, what's left of it," Tom sighed, walking over to the closet where Bill stumbled in from. After a few minutes of everyone making some sort of effort, no matter how reluctant, the flat was... alright.

"Okay, well... I've only got one bed, this couch, and the floor. I could put blankets down but I don't have that many pillows, sorry." Tom apologized, "I suppose two could fit on the bed if you so desired."

"Take the bed, it is your flat," Magnus suggested, seeming to accept that this was beyond any of their control.

"Why can't we figure this out, sooner? There's no need to sleep-" Bill asked before being intervened by Hal-

"We do not know if this problem can be taken care of sooner. Going back the way we came does not seem to produce any results," Hal reasoned.

"And I don't exactly fancy flinging myself through the ceiling," Loki joked.

"Nor I through the window," Nicholls added.

"I'll be sleeping in the bed, though. If anyone feels like joining- I don't mind," Loki smiled, sarcastically before getting up and figuring out which room was the bedroom.

A chorus of "I'll stay here's" and "The living room seems nice" erupted and Tom laughed, before a stabbing pain in his side caused him to nearly collapse.

"What's wrong?" Magnus asked, hoisting Tom up.

"Nothing, just- Ah," Tom hissed when Freddie checked Tom's abdomen by applying a little pressure.

"Nothing?" Nicholls raised an eyebrow.

"Like I said, I got in a car crash. I went into surgery. I didn't need a transplant but a large piece of glass stuck in someone's side does leave a bit of an injury," Tom explained.

"You need the bed," Bill said, "You've been badly injured."

"Don't worry. It's only a flesh wound," Tom joked, before a sweat nearly broke out on his forehead. He really needed to lie down, and not on his crappy couch or the unforgiving floorboards. The adrenaline that shot through him when faces from his past appeared had now worn off and rest is the only thing that would help. Rest on something supporting and comfortable.

"Well, Loki _did_ say he doesn't mind," Adam offered.

"He's not exactly the most trustworthy bloke," Freddie laughed.

"We don't have a choice," Magnus sighed, pulling Tom up with the help of Nicholls and they walked over to the bedroom where Loki laid comfortably on one half of Tom's bed.

"Don't think I can't hear you talking out there," Loki rolled his eyes and fixated them on the ceiling.

"Sorry," Nicholls whispered in Tom's ear as they laid him as far away from Loki as they possibly could.

"Now my feelings are hurt," Loki made an ugly pouting face before sighing, "Don't worry. I won't spoon you in the middle of the night. I don't find you attractive."

Magnus, Nicholls, and Freddie walked out of the room discussing how they'd make do with whatever Tom had.

"We look identical, save the hair," Tom frowned before he remembered who he was talking to. Loki was only a little vain, but mostly-

"That's exactly my point," Loki replied, trying to adopt a joking tone but Tom felt Loki turn on his side, away from Tom, and take a deep breath.


	4. Chapter 4

Tom opened his eyes slowly, the dust swirling in the morning light. The flat was quiet and all he could hear was his own breathing. He let out a large sigh and brought his hands up to his eyes so he could rub away sleep.

_That was the strangest dream..._ Tom thought to himself. He wouldn't be forgetting this one any time soon. Some of his biggest characters just gathered in his flat in some weird twist of fate.

"Too bad the car accident wasn't a dream..." Tom said aloud.

"If I'm right- none of what you're thinking was a dream," A lazy, gravelly drawl came from his side.

In Tom Hiddleston's entirety of living, he could not recall a single moment where he screamed as loudly as he did.

"Oh dear, is someone dying?" A sarcastic tone from an all-too-familiar vampire came from outside the door as a parade of feet hurried towards Tom's door. Magnus pulled open the door, the gun poised in his hand, ready to shoot.

"Don't worry- I don't bite... Sometimes," Loki sounded from beside Tom again. Tom looked over, twisting a little too fast and hard. The pain in his side shot through him and his vision went dark.

"Remember now, you _are_ injured," Nicholls sounded from behind Magnus who disappointedly stowed away his gun.

"You're real," Tom breathed, his vision returning. He sat up slowly and looked around. Loki was standing, observing the odds and ends in Tom's room.

"Now that the obvious has been taken care of-" Loki put down the picture frame of Tom's family back down on the table and smiled his devil-ish smile, "-Down to business. I want to get out of this godforsaken _reality_ as quickly as possible."

"And we have to take care of your window. Sorry again," Nicholls apologized.

"No, no... It's fine," Tom shook his head and leaned up carefully. The stitches in his side felt like they could burst at any moment. The sound of the busy London street filled Tom's flat when he remembered the smashed window.

"We covered the window up with some towels or something. You don't have any nails so we made do with tape," Freddie pointed out, "At least it's not freezing cold. Or raining. The blasted London rain... Is London the same in this... Reality?"

"Yes. It is," Tom laughed, stretching a little bit, "Could you leave the room, please? I just need to put on another change of clothes. These are days old." Everyone shrugged and sauntered out of the room before Magnus shut the door.

Tom sat on the side of his bed, very still for a couple of moments. He took a deep breath and then screamed a silent scream. If he was producing any sound, he was sure he would have waked all of London.

_What was happening? This is _not_ real, Thomas. Snap out of it. Is it the car accident?_ Tom thought frantically as he got up and sifted through his shirts as calm as a rock in rushing waters. Really, really fast waters. He thought this metaphorical rock would become dislodged and dissolve in the current.

Suddenly getting an idea, Tom abandoned his dresser and looked on his person for his phone. His hand brushed along his injury, causing him to wince. Ignoring the throbbing pain, he unlocked his phone and searched through his contacts. His thumb hovered over Emma's name. She would think he was absolutely insane. So would Luke. So would everyone.

They would lock him up. After they came over and proved Tom was insane.

No. He couldn't take that route. He had to figure it out himself. Whatever _it_ was.

"How long does it take to change?" Loki drawled from the other side of the door.

"Almost done," Tom called out, before hurriedly stripping off his shirt and pants. Soon he was stark naked and the cool breeze rushing in from the lightly shielded window and under the door blew in and he shuddered.

How could that be fake? How could his window have shattered? It wasn't like his flat was on the ground floor and someone chucked a stone in. Tom pulled on loose jeans, a t-shirt, and a jumper before shoving his glasses on his face and shuffling towards the door.

He hesitated, his fingers wrapped around the door knob. Tom took a breath before plunging into the white water rapids that had become his life. The heads of Freddie, Bill, Magnus, Hal, Adam, Nicholls, and Loki turned towards him and they all looked ready to work. Ready to figure out what was wrong.

At least Tom was.

"Alright!" He smiled, feigning confidence and happiness. Infallible optimism- that was him. Or it was. Maybe he'd have to fake it now. How could the world return to the place it was after what he'd done?

"So. Are we ready to start?" He asked the group, receiving a collective shrug and a few terse, nodded heads and a very confused look from Hal.

"What is that ridiculous thing?" Hal asked, squinting at Tom's eyes.

"What- my glasses?" Tom asked, bringing a hand up to the wide, black frames, "Oh, I just... They help me see."

"What are we going to do?" Bill asked.

"I have a few ideas. Seven, to be exact," Tom improvised. He did have an idea. It included an extensive movie marathon and a lot of convincing, "But first- we'll have to fix my window."

"I'll take care of that-" Nicholls offered.

"Um... Well, I was thinking about going to the shop and just grabbing a few things. Just something to hold it up. There's no way all of us can leave my flat," Tom explained.

"Offer him your garments," Hal shrugged.

"And have him pretend to be me?" Tom raised an eyebrow.

"Of course. How else will he be able to make amends?"

"It's... just a window," Tom stammered.

"Oh, for God's sake-" Freddie grabbed Nicholls by the shoulder and shoved him into Tom's room, before slamming the door, "Come out when you're dressed."

"So... What are these... ideas?" Adam asked, brooding in the corner.

"Well... I was thinking that we could watch the movies and films you are all in. Well, up until you came here. Because some of you aren't finished quite yet," Tom explained. He was glad that Nicholls wasn't in the room. No eye contact to be avoided.

"A marathon? A movie marathon?" Bill asked.

"Precisely," Tom nodded, walking over to his television where his case of DVDs stood to the side, "I've gotten into the habit of collecting any works that I have been in- I try to buy them with my own money to support the people who worked so hard to put it together."

"I can't believe a person could be so thoughtful," Freddie sighed, adjusting his waistcoat. His jacket was draped over the back of a chair.

"So- what exactly are we in?" Magnus asked, sitting on the arm of the sofa.

"Well, you're in a television show called _Wallander,_" Tom answered, pulling out a DVD set with Kenneth Branagh gracing the cover.

"The show is named after Kurt?" Magnus raised an eyebrow.

"Well, yes," Tom answered before turning towards Freddie, "You're in a movie named _The Deep Blue Sea._" He held up a DVD with Freddie and Hester in a tense, sensual moment on the front. Freddie looked slightly uncomfortable. He was wearing the same clothes as he was in that moment. This was right before he found the note.

"And, uh... Bill- you're in a sort-of soap, sitcom called _Suburban Shootout,_" Tom spoke to Bill as he pulled out a few DVDs to show him. Bill looked at them strangely, as if he was having a surreal moment.

"Hal, you're in a miniseries called _The Hollow Crown_ which consists of Shakespeare's _Richard II, Henry IV: Part I, Henry IV: Part 2, _and _Henry V,_" Tom held up The Hollow Crown box set and Hal looked at it suspiciously before Tom hurriedly put it back down again.

"That documents when I am King?" Hal got a strange gleam in his eyes as he focused on the reddish-brown haired stare of Henry V.

"Well, yes. But I have no intention of showing you that," Tom replied, fumbling for another movie, picking up a copy of _Only Lovers Left Alive._ It had not been released on DVD yet but Jim had sent him one in the mail.

"Adam- this is yours," Tom showed Adam who frowned.

"_Only Lovers Left Alive?"_ Adam turned it over in his hands, "That seems... oddly sentimental."

"Well, it focuses around you and Tilda.. Sorry, I mean Eve," Tom corrected himself, which brought a very cold look from Adam who just chucked the case back. Tom caught it and laid it on top of the pile that he had created.

"Does this look... correct?" Nicholls' voice sounded from Tom's bedroom door. Everyone turned their heads to catch a glimpse of the Captain. Even Tom had to do a double take. He looked exactly like Tom- well, he was but that wasn't the point- but... better.

"Well.. You certainly are wearing clothes better than I would be able to," Tom confessed. He didn't know that he could combine jeans, a white t-shirt, and that old jacket of his and make it look that... rustic and good.

"You certainly don't have a lot to work with," Nicholls criticized with a small smile before awkwardly walking forward, "What do I need to get?"

"Oh, um.. Wait a second," Tom got up, wincing at the slight pain in his side, and walked over to Nicholls, ruffling up his hair a little bit, "It looks more natural. Here-" He produced fifty pounds and stuffed it in Nicholls' jacket pocket, "-I just need something strong enough to hold out the elements that's big enough for the window from the shop. The shop is just down the road to the left. Try not to run into people. Or have them notice you. Try to be as discreet as possible."

"Of course. I understand," Nicholls nodded as he began to walk towards the door, becoming slightly bowlegged. Probably the jeans. The material must feel strange to him.

"You don't need to walk like that. Your legs will be fine," Tom advised. Nicholls straightened his legs and still looked a little mechanical.

"He'll be fine," Freddie assured Tom after Nicholls opened the door to the flat and closed it carefully.

"God, I hope so," Tom bit his lip before turning around towards the discs. He sat down, slowly, as to not disturb his abdomen, "Alright.. Well the Captain's movie is _War Horse._"

"Wait- the movie is about a horse?" Magnus asked.

"Not just any horse. Joey is pretty remarkable..." Tom reminisced before a disturbing thought occurred. _Nicholls' death scene._

"Um... Well- I guess the most famous of the bunch," Tom pulled out three DVD cases lined up next to each other, "Loki. You are in the movies _Thor, The Avengers, _and _Thor: The Dark World._"

"All named after the prodigal son, of course," Loki sighed, taking the DVD cases and observing all of them, "I look insane on both of these covers. A little disappointing I'm not mentioned in your little _Avengers_ movie. I did try to subjugate your planet, after all. I thought that'd gain enough attention."

"Oh, trust me you've garnered _plenty_ attention..." Tom's eyes widened, before observing the pile before him, "I guess we'll start after Nicholls returns... God I hope it's a quick trip."

"Come on, I'm sure he can handle himself. He's a Captain, after all," Magnus shrugged, sitting down on the sofa, "What's the worse that could happen?"

"OH MY GOD! IT'S HIM!" A shrill voice screamed from outside the makeshift window making everyone jump.

"Jesus," Adam put a hand to his ear. He was lurking in the shadows and looked absolutely miserable.

"Oh- right. Um. You can... use my room. Just close the blinds, make yourself comfortable," Tom offered, as everyone except Adam made their way over to the window.

"I am so fucking thrown off of my sleep cycle," Adam grumbled, shielding his eyes as he slumped over to the door and shut it, making sure no light reached him. Loki had started undoing some of the tape that held up the sheets and a few rays of sun poured into the room.

"God, what a polluted city," Loki coughed, tearing a little more of the sheet down and letting everyone get a slight view of what was happening. The screaming had only escalated and Tom saw why.

Captain Nicholls looked absolutely flustered as he was swarmed by a multitude of girls and a smattering of guys. There were only a few paparazzo, but they were taking dozens of photos.

"People worship actors in Midgard?" Loki raised an eyebrow and Tom gave a half-hearted shrug as everyone watched the carnage. Loki made a sort of "huh" sound and continued to watch.

"Are you okay? I heard the car accident was a _fright, _darling," A girl Tom had never seen before spoke to Nicholls as if they were long lost friends. That probably was not the case, seeing as she was sporting a Loki shirt and was attempting to get him to sign a picture of Tom as Coriolanus.

"I absolutely loved you in Coriolanus, it was quite visceral and unlike yourself. But that's an actor's job, I suppose!" A guy complimented, blushing and rubbing the back of his neck.

"Why... thank you, I guess," Nicholls' face was turning a deep shade of crimson.

"Tom! How are you moving so quickly after what seemed like a devastating crash!?" Someone with a high tech camera asked, lowering their lens and holding a recording device as close to Nicholls' as he could.

"I didn't see that coming... Oh God, what have I done?" Tom groaned.

Nicholls' seemed to light up with an idea before he doubled over, a little dramatically for Tom's taste. Suddenly, it was as if a tidal wave hit the group of fans as they backed away and let Nicholls' have some space.

"Actually- I'm, ah- OOH!" Nicholls' clutched his side. Tom sighed. He was overdoing it. Then Tom mentally beat himself up. It was strange, watching himself- but not himself- act. He was always so critical and now that it wasn't him... God, this whole alternate reality thing was confusing.

"Oh, darling, are you hurt?" The same "old friend" asked, keeping a respectable distance.

"No, no.. Just, the ah- crash," Nicholls' stammered. Tom reckoned he'd rather be in hand to hand combat that feign a person he was not, "I need to get a few things from the shop and- AH- I really should rest."

There wasn't enough pause or genuine quality to Nicholls. He didn't blend in his pain with his words, he made it separate. As if the pain was something he threw in every so often and then resumed his normal routine.

"Of course, of course- EVERYONE GIVE HIM SOME SPACE!" The girl with the same shrill, loud, commanding voice boomed. This girl seemed to be a paradox. Her voice was shrill yet firm at the same time. She was a very demanding person, it seemed. Her hair was a flaming red and she was very large- but not in a bad way. It seemed natural for her. The moment she set her eyes on Nicholls though, all of that faded away- as if he was some sort of bane for this powerhouse.

"Thank you," Nicholls smiled, awkwardly, and began to put a straight posture before he remembered to acknowledge his pain to some extent. As he walked away there was some sort of limp that wasn't there before. And it was like he couldn't decide which leg to give injury to.

"OH MY GOD!" The girl with the Loki shirt gasped, pointing to the broken window where all of Tom and his characters were gawking out the window. Everyone suddenly turned to where she was pointing, but they were thoroughly confused. You see- Tom, Loki, Hal, Freddie, Bill, and Magnus had decided to drop to the floor at first glance at the pointing girl.

"Ow," Loki hissed.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry," Bill apologized, crawling away from the mass of Tom's all tangled together.

"God- that was close," Magnus sighed, pushing himself off of Freddie who proceeded to groan as he sat up, wrapping his arms around his legs.

"This is a strange place. Where the people worship actors. Such a profession is thought of with admirable pity in the England I am familiar with," Hal brushed microscopic dirt off of his fine, red jacket.

"Well, the England you are familiar with is alive and kicking, mate," Tom shrugged, "It has just evolved."

"It seems as though the minds within it have become rot with time," Hal criticized.

"I could not agree more," Loki laughed, but remembered who he was speaking to. He looked Hal up and down and turned away bitterly. Hal was everything Loki was not and would never be. Except the capacity of life- 5000 years did tend to make a difference.

"You have got to hand it to Nicholls'- he is a trooper. He kept on walking to get those blasted supplies," Freddie shrugged.

"I agree," Tom smiled, getting up and avoiding being seen through the window. Then he spoke what was on his mind since he glanced at the DVD case earlier, "I don't think we should watch _War Horse._"

"Why not? We've all the right to see who everyone is," Magnus frowned.

"I just... I can't. Not with him around," Tom tried explaining. He didn't want to say it out loud. That he didn't want to witness the scene Tom spent three times filming- but Nicholls would only have that one final moment.

"Is it something bad?" Bill asked.

"I just... I know when all of you came here. How all of you came to be in my flat. And I know the reason Nicholls is here- and I think he does too. But maybe he's holding on to a false hope," Tom hoped that that explanation would suffice.

"I am not following," Freddie shook his head.

"He is the only character- out of all of you- that I have portrayed who..." Tom opened his mouth and closed it. Death was so much more harrowing when it becomes reality.

_Just like that girl._

No.

Keep talking, don't think about her.

"He's the only one who's died. Out of all of you. The moment he came in- he was riding a horse. A, uh... A german gun w- was pointed at him," Tom could feel his eyes tearing up before he took a deep breath, "That's why he came crashing through the window."

The entire room was silent and even Loki looked slightly disturbed. Bill looked absolutely sick. The silence was deafening, as if all of their souls were screaming.

The door to his flat opened and Nicholls' came trudging in, carrying thin pieces of wood and a plastic bag. He dropped it to the floor and looked like he had a violated look on his face. No doubt from the crowd outside.

"Well... that was... strange," Nicholls' laughed, awkwardly.

"As are a lot of things," Tom wiped his eyes one more time before sporting a smile and turning around, concealing the thought of two deaths behind his deceptive lips.


End file.
